New Life
by Lauricula
Summary: ON HOLD. With his father in Azkaban and his mother in hiding, Draco is forced into the Wizard Protection Program. Forced to live with Hermione Granger, Draco has to adapt to a new life. One without power to his name or his inheritance. He's confined to her house, four walls. Someone's going to be pushed to the edge. Post-War. EWE.
1. Goodbye

_New Life_

**~Chapter 1~**

The wind and rain were relentless as drops pounded on Draco's windows. The gardens hidden by darkness as the winds howled louder than ever. Draco looked around his now empty bedroom; the bed bare, silk green curtains no longer covering the windows. His hardwood floors empty and cold beneath his bare feet. A trunk stood packed next to him, along with his eagle fast asleep in it's cage. His dresser draws were open and empty, no longer holding his clothing. The scene before him was downright depressing.

Draco took a shaky breath, thankful he was alone. No one ever saw him in a vulnerable state, saving the time Potter invaded his moment in the bathroom during sixth year. He gnashed his teeth at the thought. _Potter. _The meddlesome prick.

"Draco!" called his father's voice from the floor below.

With one last look around his empty childhood room, Draco levitated his trunk and exited his bedroom, refusing to take one last look.

* * *

><p>Shoes now on his feet, Draco descended the staircase, taking his time. He didn't care about agitating is father anymore. In a few minutes time, it wouldn't matter. Draco would no longer be welcomed back to his home. The thought of it brought about a wave of relief and nausea. He might be free from his father's scrutiny and dirty looks, but he was about to be in an unfamiliar home with nothing to his name. Just the thought of it secretly terrified him.<p>

He finally reached the bottom of the grand stair case and came face to face with his parents, along with six Ministry representatives. Two of which stood at Lucius' sides, each holding one of his arms. Narcissa stood weeping between the other two men, who looked unsure of whether to respond to her last two stood by the giant oak doors of the mansion, waiting solemnly.

Upon his arrival, Lucius' face screwed up into a look of disgust and he focused his eyes on the fireplace to Draco's left. The winds grew louder, trembling the walls of the mansion.

"Sir, it's time." Announced one of the men by the entrance, his voice echoing across the high ceilings.

Lucius finally moved his eyes to his only son. "Are you happy about what you've done?" he asked, his voice low and venomous.

"If it means seeing you off to Azkaban, absolutely." Draco retorted with a snarl.

At her son's words, Narcissa let out another quiet sob.

Draco shot his mother an apologetic look, but she didn't catch it.

"You are no son of mine." Lucius spat viciously, taking a step towards the young wizard. The two representatives maintained a firm grip on his arms and pulled him back.

"Good." Draco said dully.

And with that, the two representatives steered Lucius out of the Mansion. The doors stood open, drenching the marble floor in cold rain. Narcissa watched as the group of three spun and disappeared with a small 'pop'. She bowed her head, her lip quivering.

"May I?" Draco asked before stepping forward to embrace his mother.

She held him tight, stroking his platinum blonde hair. Normally he hated her acts of affection, but knowing this would be the last one in who knew how long, he relished it. His arms wrapped around the middle of her waist and he squeezed back. Her head rested on his shoulder and he closed his eyes.

"Promise me you'll stay out of trouble." she whispered.

He laughed. "Mother, I-"

But she pulled back and gripped him firmly by the shoulders. Her tear-ridden eyes bore into his, He could feel her shaky breath on his nose as she struggled to convey a silent message.

"Draco...promise me you won't become..." she trailed off, hoping she didn't have to finish that sentence.

His lips formed into a thin line and he nodded his head curtly. "I won't mother. I promise." he affirmed.

She smiled briefly before stepping back between the two men, who now looked uncomfortable. A fresh round of tears slipped between her light blonde lashes as she stared at him.

"I love you." she choked, as the representatives led her out.

"Say hi to Aunt Dromeda for me." he responded as he watched her leave. .

Another small pop told him that his mother was now gone. He felt his heart sink. Both of his parents were now gone. One in Azkaban, one in hiding. Even if he wanted to talk to his father again, he couldn't. As for his mother...well, he'd have to be very careful about how often he sent her an owl.

The remaining two representatives stood at the doors waiting for him. Draco took one last look at the entrance hall. So many events had transpired over the years, more specifically in the last six months. People were tortured...killed...questioned in this hall. He flinced at the memories and told himself he would not miss this place. He forced the few happy memories to the back of his mind as he turned to walk towards the two men.

"Ready?" the taller of the two asked as Draco reached the double doors.

The blonde wizard nodded. "Ready."

* * *

><p>The halls of the Ministry were bustling with people. Witches and wizards chatted, owls shot over heads, the fireplaces coming to life with flames every few seconds. Workers were running across the atrium, piles of papers cramped in their hands.<p>

The two men stopped at a less crowded area of the main floor and turned to face Draco.

"We'll escort you to the sixth floor and that is where we will leave you." the heavier of the two told him.

"Fine." Draco said, as if he had a choice in this.

The three wizards set off towards an empty lift and helped Draco fit his trunk and cage into the lift. The taller representative pressed the button marked 'sixth floor' and waited for the gates to close.

An uncomfortable silence fell between the three. They stood on either side of him and stared straight ahead. Draco decided to fix his eyes on the buttons, wondering if the lift always took this long.

After what felt like the longest minute of his life, the lift came to a stop and the gates opened. Once again he was assisted with his belongings as they exited the lift and stepped out into an empty corridor. Draco breathed a sigh of relief at the absence of people.

The trio walked past four closed doors before pausing in front a door with a plaque that read:

"Mr. Woodward. Wizard Protection Program. Head of Department."

"Here we are, kid." the heavier representative said, opening the door for him so Draco could get his belongings inside.

* * *

><p>Hermione bustled about the halls of the Ministry, slightly flustered. Today had proven to be a hectic day and she couldn't wait to get home and relax on the couch with her newest book. Her assistant had lost reports that were supposed to be turned into Kingsley on Tuesday. It was now Friday. Hermione had no other choice but to let her assistant go, as those kinds of mistakes were not tolerated.<p>

She had then spent the last two days rewriting the reports and was now rushing to Kingsley's office to hand in the reports. At last, she arrived at his office and knocked on the door.

"Come in." Kingsley's deep voice boomed.

Hermione pushed open the door and approached his cluttered desk. He looked up and a wave of relief washed over his face at her presence.

"Ah, Miss Granger, I take it you're here with the reports?" he asked, rising from his chair.

Finally able to catch her breath, she swallowed. "Yes sir." the witch replied, handing over the files.

"Excellent." he took the reports and placed them on his desk. "I'm sorry to hear you had to let go of Milly."

Hermione waved her hand. "She lost important reports, sir. I had to." she insisted.

He smiled at the young witch. "You've come very far in a short amount of time, Ms. Granger."

A blush tinted her cheeks and she hid a smile. "I'm just grateful for the opportunity, sir."

Kingsley was about to dismiss his employee when he remembered the other reason she was here.

"Ah! Ms. Granger, before I forget." he rummaged for a yellow envelope and handed it to Hermione.

She stared at him quizzically before tearing open the envelope and scanning it's contents. She frowned for a moment before looking back up at her superior.

"And they don't tell me who?" she asked, waving the letter slightly.

Kingsley shook his head. "I'm afraid not."

Hermione sighed, glancing at the letter again. Already thinking about the amount of stress this was going to add, she folded her arms across her chest.

"I don't have a choice in this do, I?" she asked, feeling very tired all of a sudden.

"Not initially, no. However if the situation doesn't work out, you can request they be moved to a different home." he recited, as though reading from a handbook.

She huffed once more before muttering, "Alright. See you around Kingsley."

"Have a good day, Ms. Granger. Thank you again for the reports." Kingsley called as she retreated to his office door.

"You're welcome, sir."

"Oh! Ms. Granger," Kingsley nearly shouted.

She turned to face him, hoping her annoyance didn't show on her face.

"It would be wise to start looking for an assistant." he smiled, picking up a pen,

Hermione nodded, her lips now in a frown. "Right."

* * *

><p>Mr. Woodward was an exceptionally tall man stuffed in a small office. A desk was in the middle of the floor, with lone rickety chair propped at the front of the desk. Three filing cabinets stood against the right wall, papers stacked on top ready to topple over. A book case was pressed against the left wall, its shelves filled with books.<p>

Sweat was beginning to bead at Draco's hairline and he tugged off his wool coat. It was sweltering in here. He shifted uncomfortably in the seat as Mr. Woodward shuffled through paper work and hummed to himself. The large eagle in the cage snoozed on, unaware of its surroundings.

Frustration grew within Draco the longer Mr. Woodward took. How long did this really take? It had been twenty minutes since Draco had arrived, and five of those minutes had been spent looking for Draco's file. Mr. Woodward had seemed wary of Draco's presence until he read that Lucius was now in Azkaban.

As Mr. Woodward filed the paperwork, Draco took the time to study the aging man's face. His forehead was lined with wrinkles, and his mouth seemed to be stuck in a permanent frown. Dark circles surrounded his moss green eyes, while his lids seemed to droop. The man looked as if he was infinitely tired.

Another ten minutes of uncomfortable silence passed before Mr. Woodward looked up at him with a weak smile. He pushed the pile of papers towards Malfoy and motioned for him to sign.

Draco sighed as he leaned forward and scribbled his name across the dotted line.

"Mr. Malfoy I am obligated to read the following rules to you." Mr. Woodward yawned as he rubbed his temple. His voice was low and deep.

"Go on then." he snapped, officially annoyed by the man.

Mr. Woodward slowly put on his glasses, cleared his throat and began to read.

"You will not be permitted to use your wand-"

"Excuse me?" Draco blurted, rising half-way out of his seat.

"Sit down, Mr. Malfoy and let me finish." the old wizard droned.

The younger wizard lowered himself back into the rickety chair.

"You will not be permitted to use your wand until you show no desire to try and escape your new home."

"That's subjective." Draco snorted, earning him a raised eyebrow.

"You are not tell anyone of your location."

"Obvious."

"Owl post is permitted but must be read by your host before mailing."

"Invasive! I still have a right to privacy!" he nearly shouted, but Mr. Woodward raised a hand to silence him.

"During the time without your wand, you will learn how to live like a Muggle."

"You're fucking thick if you think I'm going to do that." he spat, crossing his arms over his chest.

Mr. Woodward dropped the paper and stared at the young wizard that sat before him.

"Mr. Malfoy you do understand these rules are not selective? You will obey all of these rules. You do not have a choice in this matter. Do I make myself clear?" he was clearly agitated with Draco's rebellious attitude.

Draco grinded his teeth, seething at this point. "Yes." he forced out.

"Good. Now, here is the address of your new home, and I do strongly suggest you behave yourself." Mr. Woodward muttered before gathering Draco's file and shoving it a drawer.

Draco looked down at the sheet of paper and groaned. However his new 'host' was lived in a Muggle town. _Fucking great. _he thought to himself. Two representatives waited for him out in the hallway and greeted him with a nod.

"Are you ready to go to your new home, kid?" the taller one from earlier asked.

"Not in the slightest." Draco huffed, crumpling the paper in his hand.

* * *

><p>Hermione shuffled around her house making sure everything was clean and put in the proper place. Her new house guest may be living here unwillingly, but she would be damned if they were living unwillingly in a filthy home.<p>

Crookshanks eyed her suspiciously from his favorite spot on the couch as she folded blankets and tossed trash into the bin. Work had kept her busy lately and it had taken a toll on her housekeeping.

The past six months had been a whirlwind of events. Of course they had won the war, and just a few weeks into the summer holidays, she had been offered an assistant's position in the Auror department. It was the research side of the Auror department, but that didn't bother her one bit. On the contrary, she loved it. There was plenty of time to decide if she wanted to go through training. And she was able to still study her classes to complete her seventh year of Hogwarts. After her Auror had retired, she had been appointed her position and was entitled to an assistant. Hermione was very proud of her accomplishments and took her job very seriously.

Hermione took one last look around her home, to be sure all was tidy. Satisfied with her rushed cleaning job, she flopped onto the couch and began to stroke Crookshank's ginger fur. After a few minutes of welcomed silence, a knock on her door interrupted the silence.

The witch rose from her couch and meandered over to the door. She yanked open the door and gasped at the man who stood on her front porch.

"Malfoy?" she breathed with curiosity.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me." he growled, eyeing his new host.

* * *

><p>~AN: Alright, so obviously I'm rewriting this. I'll be posting a new chapter every Friday (hopefully!), and maybe sometimes faster than that if I have the inspiration to start the next chapter right away. I hope you enjoyed this! Happy reading and reviewing!~


	2. Tears

**~Chapter 2~ **

Hermione shifted uncomfortably, her new guest still standing on her porch. Rain continued to pour and the wind howled. She bit her lip as she chose her words carefully, but it was Draco who spoke first.

"Are you going to let me in or are you going to let me stand out here all day?" he asked, grinding his teeth.

"R-right. Erm. Sorry. Come in then." she said softly, blinking repeatedly.

Draco pushed her aside, his trunk colliding with her hip.

"Ow! You couldn't be more conscientious?" she yelped, rubbing her sore hip.

Draco looked around the small living room. The walls were painted a dark blue with a fireplace against the far wall. He snorted at the sight of two book cases stuffed with books. He also saw a muggle contraption that he heard played pictures and sound. A pair of french doors stood next to the fireplace, leading out to a soaked patio. To his left was the kitchen, which was currently pitch black.

"Do you not fancy lights, Granger?" he asked, letting his trunk land on the floor with a bang.

Hermione rubbed her temples and walked until she stood in front of him. Her hands were on her hips as she glared at the wizard.

"Right, let's get a few things straight, _Malfoy." _she spoke through clenched teeth. "You are living in _my _house, under _my rules. _I don't have to let you live here and so help me Malfoy if you make things difficult, I will send you straight back to the Ministry! So, first order of business, hand over your wand."

She stuck out her hand, waiting expectantly. She was trembling slightly, but she refused to let him know his presence made her slightly nervous. He stared at her outstretched hand, his eyebrows raised. Their eyes met; stormy gray on warm honey, each waiting for the other to back down.

Hermione wasn't going to falter. She stood with her back straight, and furrowed her eyebrows.

"Your wand, Malfoy." she repeated.

A low growl escaped his throat before he pulled his wand out of his pocket and thrust it into her hand.

"There. Happy?" he snapped, not meeting her eyes.

"Quite the opposite." she said, a blank look on her face. "Now let me show you your room."

Draco rolled his eyes and followed the witch down the dimly lit hallway.

A crack of thunder shook the walls of her one story home and he noticed Hermione flinched. Malfoy smirked. So she was afraid of storms?

He noticed the walls were lined with various photographs of Granger with Weasley and Potter and Granger with her parents. He gagged at the sight of the red head. Finally, Hermione stopped and pushed open the door at the end of the hallway.

She flicked on a light and stepped aside so Draco could enter with his belongings. He pushed his trunk and cage against an empty wall and stared around at the bare room. Only a bed, a dresser and a desk were present. No curtains hung on the windows, no pictures lined the walls.

"This is fucking depressing." he commented, flopping down on the bed. At least that was somewhat comfortable, and there were no traces of red or gold in the room. Thank Salazar.

"Well it's not as if I was given any warning you were coming. I only just received notification this afternoon." she said with an exasperated sigh.

"I can't believe they stuck me here. Of all places." he muttered to himself, giving the room another distasteful glance.

"I'm not thrilled about you being here either Malfoy! You think I want you in my home?" she said shrilly. "But it's not my fault you're here! You can blame that on your father!"

Draco strode towards her, backing the witch against the wall. Both of their chests were heaving. He scowled at her, his eyes silver like daggers. Hermione watched him carefully, waiting for his next move, her wand gripped firmly in her hand.

Another round of thunder sounded and Hermione tried her best not to flinch.

"Don't you _dare _talk about my father Granger! You know nothing about my father!" he snarled, his voice rising with every word.

"I know nothing about your father?" she laughed, throwing her head back, her nostrils flaring. "I know that he stood by while your aunt tortured me! That's enough for me." she snapped, tears now welling her eyes.

"What else would you have expected him to do Granger?" he yelled back, his face growing red.

"Not be a coward!" At the mention of the last word, Hermione knew she had picked the wrong word.

Draco opened his mouth to retort and then closed it again. He thought for a moment. "Better a coward than a Mudblood." he said coolly, staring her directly in the eyes.

She gasped, a lone tear sliding down her cheek. "That's it. I'm not putting up with you."

She pushed him away and stalked past him, back in to the living room.

"And what the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" he roared from his bedroom.

"I'm going to the Ministry and telling them to find you a new home!" She choked out before grabbing her coat and slamming the door behind her.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry Ms...Granger, but I'm afraid you're our only option." Mr. Woodward said with boredom.<p>

"What do you mean the only option?" her hands on his desk, her face hot with anger.

"Everyone else that is eligible for the program is unavailable. Mr. Malfoy will have to stay with you." he replied.

Hermione frowned. "But-"

"Good day, Ms. Granger."

"There must be-"

"Ms. Granger, I said good day." his voice firm.

Hermione scowled at him before turning on her heel and slamming the door as loudly as she could.

She whizzed by fellow co-workers without even glancing at them, hot tears burning her eyes. She was stuck with Malfoy. And now she had to find a way to deal with him.

* * *

><p>Hermione slipped in her front door quietly, soaked from head to toe. Crookshanks purred at her feet and she bent down to give him a pat. Slowly, she made her way to his bedroom, dreading this conversation.<p>

The door was closed and she leaned her ear against, but all seemed silent. Hermione took a few deep breaths before pushing open the door to find Malfoy laying on the bed staring at the ceiling.

He looked up upon her entrance and immediately frowned.

"Well? Where am I being reassigned?" he demanded, sitting up.

"You're not." she said.

"Why the hell not?" he asked, striding over to her.

Hermione whipped her wand out of her pocket and pointed it at his chest. He stopped in his tracks.

"Don't you dare come near me." she warned.

Draco rubbed his temples. "Just tell me why the fuck I'm not getting out of here."

Hermione took a deep breath to steady herself. "There's no one else who can take you. I'm the only one."

"There has to be someone." Draco said, feeling the anger rise in his chest. "I don't want to be here!"

"Well too bad! You're stuck here. So you might as well try and get used to it! And it looks like I have to do the same." she said dully, not daring to lower her wand.

"Fucking great. I'm stuck here with a Mudblood." he muttered under his breath.

Hermione drew back her wand arm, and Malfoy's eyes widened in shock. But no magic hit. Instead, he felt a fist collide with his cheekbone, knocking his head sideways.

"Rule number one of you living here. Don't use that word." she breathed, examining her knuckles.

He growled at the witch, who wore a smug look on her face before turned out of his room with a slam of his door.

* * *

><p>Hermione didn't see Draco for the rest of the night. She wasn't sure if he was too angry or too ashamed of what had happened. Either way she was thankful for his absence.<p>

She enjoyed a quiet dinner and was able to catch up on all of her favorite programmes. Crookshanks snoozed at her feet as she read her newest book, with a blanket draped over her legs. The storm had quieted a dull roar, only low rumbles of thunder tumbled across the sky. The rain was now a soft pitter patter against the roof.

As hard as she tried, she couldn't push away the replay of their conversation earlier. Hermione was still furious at him for calling her a Mudblood, but she was starting to feel sorry for him. Of course she wasn't at all happy about having Draco Malfoy in her home, but she had hardly stopped to consider how he felt.

Sighing and cursing her conscious, she threw the blanket off of her legs and strode down the hall. She didn't bother knocking on the door, knowing he would probably tell her to fuck off. The room was dark with only rays of moonlight illuminating the small space. She could just barely make out Draco's silhouette.

"Malfoy?"

"What do you want Granger?" his voice cold and distant.

"I've just...I've done some thinking-"

He snorted. "Tell me something I don't know."

"Will you just listen?!" she sighed. "I've done some thinking and I realized I never thought about how you must be feeling."

Silence.

"Malfoy if you're going to live here, you need to work on your temper. I know you hate me, and this is the last place on Earth you'd want to live but you can't lash out at me. It's not fair. I'm just the person they stuck you with, I'm not the person who put you in this predicament." she said as calmly and evenly as she could.

Silence.

Hermione sighed again. "While you live here I'm supposed to teach you how to do things the muggle way. We'll start with that tomorrow, alright?"

Once again, silence.

Hermione's hand was wrapped around the brass knob, but she was still standing in the doorway. "I'm sorry about your father and mother, Malfoy. It must be hard for you to adjust. Just...don't be such an arse when people try to help."

More silence.

Finally giving up, she left.

* * *

><p>Early night slipped into early hours of the morning and Draco hardly noticed. The storm picked up again, leaving the windows streaked with falling raindrops. He lay on his bed with his arms behind his head. Hermione's words played over and over again in his mind.<p>

_I'm just the person they stuck you with..._

_You need to work on your temper..._

_It must be hard for you to adjust..._

_I know you hate me..._

Damn right he hated her. With her filthy blood and ridiculous way of living. Her obnoxious need to apologize after getting angry with him. Her bloody cat and minimally furnished spare room. He hated everything about her.

A ball of anger rose in his stomach, his veins feeling as though they were on fire. The young wizard pushed himself off the bed and paced around the room.

_You're no son of mine. _

His father's words rang in his ears.

_I don't want you here either. _

Hermione's shrill voice sounded in his ears.

Draco marched over to the desk, picked up the chair and threw it against the wall. Wood rained down, mimicking the water droplets outside. Storming over to the dresser, he plucked out the drawers one by one, smashing them against the floor.

His heart was pounding and his breathing shallow.

No one wanted him. His own father had all but spat in his face. His mother had gone into hiding without him. And a bloody Mudblood didn't even want him living in her home.

There had been plenty of times over the years were Draco felt unwanted, but never before had he felt this lonely. Never in his life had he felt so...hated.

He would never admit it, but it tore him apart. He wasn't a monster. He couldn't go through with killing Dumbledore. He didn't hurt anyone during the war, and he had been too afraid to side with Voldemort; he saw where that life got a man.

Draco sank to the floor, and began to focus on the sound of the rain pounding on the roof over his head. He felt the thunder rattle his tired bones as he let silent sobs shake his body.

He sat there long after his tears had dried and the ache had dulled. Morning birds began to chirp in time with the now gentle tapping of the rain on the windows. With nature's lullaby, Draco drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>~AN: Right, so I hope this chapter was okay! I know it spanned over a very short period of time, but I needed to end it there. So apologies for that. The next chapter should be a bit longer. Let me know what you think of it!~


	3. Deal

**~Chapter 3~ **

Draco woke with an ache in his back to the sound of tapping on his new bedroom door. His lidded eyes cast a glance at the clock on the bedside table and saw that it had been just over three hours since he fell asleep.

"Honestly, Malfoy, just answer the bloody door or I'm coming in. I hope you're decent..." he heard her muffled voice say.

Not wanting to give her the satisfaction of being able to barge in to his room again, he rose quickly and opened the door with a scowl fixed upon his face.

"What do you want?" his voice hoarse.

Hermione was about to start her rant when she noticed how worn out he looked. There were dark bags under his eyes, his normally neat platinum hair was tousled, while his skin seemed a bit paler today.

"Are you alright?" she asked, giving his presence another look over. "And what happened to your hand?" her voice raising an octave at the sight of his bruised and swollen knuckles.

He looked away with a blank expression on his face. "That's not really any of your business, Granger."

"That's where you're wrong, actually. You're living in my house, everything you do is my business." she hissed.

To her delight, Draco was at a loss for words. But instead of looking pissed off, he merely looked as though he couldn't care less. Something was off about him...and the realization made her feel slightly guilty for her comment just moments before.

"Just...can you let me know you're alright?" she asked hesitantly.

"M'fine." he mumbled, picking a piece of non-existent lint off his sweater. He hadn't bothered changing out of his clothes after his not so little outburst.

She glanced at him with doubt but decided not to push him on it. Besides, why did she even care if he was alright? It wasn't like he cared about her.

"Right, good then, I suppose. I've got to go to work today but when I come home, we'll start your first lesson about muggle life." she stated.

Draco shot her a look of anger and shock. "You're leaving?"

It's not that he wanted her, specifically, here with him, it was just that she was his only company. And without someone around to keep him occupied, Draco was worried about where his thoughts might go.

The witch looked at him with utter confusion. "How else would I pay for my house? And food? And well, everything else I need? Not all of us are filthy rich." she said with a roll of her eyes.

"Don't bring my family into the conversation." he drawled warningly.

Hermione sighed. "I have to go, otherwise I'll be late."

Before the young wizard could say another word, she turned around and left.

* * *

><p>At the Ministry, Hermione found herself too distracted by yesterday's events to focus on her work. Her mother had always told her to never judge a book by it's cover and that was exactly what she had done with Malfoy.<p>

Though not really, she argued to herself. She had known Draco for years. He made his views very clear throughout the years and his feelings towards her even clearer assisted by years of bullying. Why should she assume anything less than for him to be the same arrogant, prejudiced git he had always been?

Then there had been this morning...his disheveled look and bruised knuckles. What happened last night? And why was he so unresponsive to her this morning?

Shaking her head, Hermione tried to refocus on the work in front of her. She shouldn't be so worried about him, shouldn't even be allowing him to occupy this much of her thoughts.

A small knock at her door interrupted her first attempt all morning to actually work and the Ministry employee sighed in frustration.

"Come in." she called.

Kingsley walked in, scanning her office. At the appearance of his presence, Hermione sat up straight and hoped it appeared as though she had been nothing short of her usual busy-body self.

"Good morning, Minister." she said airily.

"Good morning, Ms. Granger. I've gathered a few applicants for the position of your assistant. Here are their files. I'll leave it up to you set up interviews." Kingsley stated in his familiar deep voice.

Hermione shifted through the files, scanning them briefly. "Thank you, Minister." she said with a tight smile.

Kingsley gave her a curious look. "Everything alright, Ms. Granger?" a hint of concern in his voice.

"Huh? Oh, yes. I'm fine. Just a lot of work to do today, that's all. My load's a bit heavier without my assistant." she offered a meek smile and hoped she sounded convincing.

"Well best start those interviews as soon as possible, then." he said before exiting her office.

Hermione waited until she was sure the Minister wasn't coming back before she picked up the files to look through them more carefully.

Emily Wilde. Age twenty-three. Zero years of office experience.

Hermione scoffed. Normally, she'd love to take the time to train someone but there was too much to do at the moment. She needed someone with experience. Why would Kingsley include the file of someone with no experience anyway?

Peter Hopkins. Age twenty. One year of office experience.

She folded down the corner of his resume and set it aside.

Layden Walters. Age twenty-two. Six months of office experience.

Not too bad, she thought. His file was set aside as well.

She flicked through the rest of the files and had only set aside four more applications before deciding she had narrowed down her options the best she could.

Now, she just had to set up interviews.

Letting out a long sigh, she started checking her schedule for the rest of the week.

* * *

><p>The morning ticked by slowly for Draco. After realizing he didn't know how to cook the muggle way, he settled for a bowl of cereal for breakfast. Crookshanks slinked around his ankles as he ate, no matter how many times Draco tried to kick him away.<p>

As he dropped his bowl into the sink, he eyed the bookshelves. He did always enjoy reading, but he wasn't quite in the mood for it at the moment. Not to mention he wasn't about to read a muggle book. And then a thought hit him.

He should look for his wand.

It seemed silly for her to take it to work with her. What if she lost it? What if someone found it in her office and stole it? No, it made more sense for her to keep it at home somewhere.

Draco set out towards her bedroom with a look of determination set upon his elegant features.

* * *

><p>Hermione returned from lunch with Layden Walters' file clutched in her hand. She had contacted him that morning and asked if he was able to come in for an interview at two o'clock that afternoon. He had eagerly agreed and thanked her continuously for the opportunity. She was quite looking forward to the interview.<p>

The young man would be here in fifteen minutes, so Hermione set out to tidy up her office. She tucked away papers into their respective files and put them in their appropriate filing cabinet. She made sure her desk was cleared off as well, before grabbing the wooden chair and placing it in front of the desk.

Five to two. Now all she had to do was wait.

Hermione checked over that she had his file, a notepad and a pen to take notes. She had also prepared a list of questions to ask him.

A tall, roundish blonde woman peeked in Hermione's door. Her glasses sat far down on her nose while her lips were covered in a bright red lipstick.

"Ms. Granger, a Mr. Layden Walters is here to see you?"

"Thank you Alice, you can let him in." she replied, folding her hands on her desk.

Alice was the receptionist, and a very reliable one at that.

A tall, dirty blond haired young man entered her office. She noticed he was lean with slightly protruding arm muscles and bright green eyes. He greeted her with a crooked smile and stuck out his hand.

Hermione rose to meet him, shaking his hand firmly.

"Mr. Walters, it's nice to meet you. Thank you for coming in." she said, sounding her most confident.

"Thank you for agreeing to give me this interview. It means a lot to me." the sincerity in his voice nearly made her melt.

Stop it, she told herself. You need to remain professional.

"Please, sit." she instructed, secretly composing herself.

She sat behind her desk and looked over his file.

"So Layden, you've had prior office experience?" she asked, picking up her pen.

The man nodded. "Yes ma'am. It was after I left school. However it was just a muggle-run company, a paper company to be specific."

She raised an eyebrow. "I see."

She desperately wanted to ask if he was half-blood or muggle born, but scolded herself when she realized how unprofessional it seemed.

"What were your responsibilities?"

His face fell slightly. "I was the receptionist there. But there were always faxes that needed to be sent out right away, and messages that needed to be given to the salesmen as soon as possible. I always answered the phones of course; set up conference calls, notified the office of staff meetings, kept the files organized."

Hermione scribbled a few notes on the parchment. He had some experience but she wasn't quite sure if he would be able to grasp the urgency of situations sometimes.

"Layden would you say you're an organized person?"

"Absolutely, I would. My boss was sad to see me go. He said they had never a receptionist like me before. Said I never failed to deliver messages. Always knew where everything was too." The possible employee was positively beaming.

After another fifteen minutes or so of questions and note taking, Hermione rose from her seat and shook Layden's hand one final time.

"Thank you Layden. I'll be in touch some time later this week to let you know if you received the job or not."

He nodded vigorously. "Thank you again, Ms. Granger. You have no idea how much I appreciate this."

She shut the door behind him and leaned against the light oak wood. Her chest heaved and she let out a slow sigh. The interview had left her feeling slightly optimistic.

She had sent Peter an owl, but he hadn't yet replied. She didn't mind too much though, it was reaching the end of her day and she still had plenty of work to do.

It was nearing four-thirty and Hermione began to finish up her task so she could begin packing away her things and preparing her office for the next morning when there was another knock at her door.

Alice poked her head through the door for the second time today, before stepping into the office completely and holding out an envelope to Hermione.

"Sorry Ms. Granger, but you received this today."

* * *

><p>It was nearing four in the afternoon and Draco was returning Hermione's house to it's normal state. He had checked under cushions, torn apart her bed, checked for odd boxes and had thrown practically every article of clothing out of her closet. Yet nothing. He hadn't even found any dirt on the witch, which aggravated him even more.<p>

At least he had managed to occupy his day. It wouldn't be much longer until Granger would return home and he could entertain himself. It wasn't like it was his fault she was easy to anger. And bickering with her wasn't so bad since she could keep up with him.

Crookshanks had seemed to follow Draco around the house, a seemingly dirty look upon his scrunched up features, as though he were planning to report the events of the wizard's day to his owner. And for a second, Draco feared the cat had a way of doing exactly that before he realized he was being utterly ridiculous.

Malfoy thought about waiting for her in the living room but changed his mind when a better idea came to mind. Luck was on his side today, as the rain carried over to today. It was down right dark and gloomy outside. He went around and flicked all of the lights off before going in the hallway and leaning against one of the walls.

* * *

><p>Hermione popped onto the sidewalk in front of her house and hurried to the dryness of her porch. How her hair had managed to get soaked in that short amount of time, she had no idea. Wishing nothing more than to get inside and change, she practically barged in her own front door but froze when she entered the dark house.<p>

"Malfoy?" she called, trying to keep her voice steady.

No answer. Maybe he was in his room again and hadn't spared the courtesy to leave a light on.

"Wanker." she muttered to herself before edging herself down the wall, feeling around for a light switch.

But when she finally found one and went to flick it back on, nothing happened. She frowned. This couldn't be Draco's doing. He had no idea how electricity worked. The power must have gone out.

Sighing, Hermione grabbed her wand, cast a Lumos and made her way around the living room and kitchen, lighting candles. Another flick of her wand and the fireplace roared to life. Satisfied that she was no longer in complete darkness, she moved to the kitchen and began to inspect its contents. Of course now their dinner options were limited.

The brunette was so occupied with finding something to eat, she didn't hear the light footfalls of a certain blonde wizard moving towards her, his eyes targeted on her. She was unsuspecting.

But to his disappointment, his foot fell on a creaky floorboard, causing Hermione to whip around in surprise, her wand at the ready.

Her face changed from shock to relief to annoyance.

"Goodness, Malfoy! Don't do that. What's the matter with you?" she accused.

He smirked and leaned against the wall. "What's the matter, Granger? Scared of the dark?"

She turned away from him with a roll of her eyes. "I'm not afraid of the dark."

He nodded, feigning thoughtfulness. "So just thunderstorms then?"

This remark earned him a stern glare. "So what if I am? Everyone is afraid of something, you know." she barked defensively.

Malfoy scoffed. "Not me."

"Good for you, now either piss off or quit being a git and let me get on with dinner." she spat, leaning against the counter.

The blonde wizard scowled at his host. "What's got your knickers in a bunch?"

"Nothing." she replied in a much calmer tone that just a few seconds before. "Not like you'd care even if I wanted to tell you."

"Fair point, Granger."

* * *

><p>Hermione had decided there was nothing in her kitchen they could have for dinner so she had taken to calling for a delivery from a local diner (she was good friends with the owner and was the only customer they delivered to; partially because she only lived two blocks away). Draco had refused to eat from a muggle restaurant and said he'd rather starve. She fired back that she wouldn't be making him any food once the power came back to which he replied he wouldn't eat any food she made.<p>

She was tempted to go back to the Ministry and ask again if they were absolutely sure there was no one else that could do this. But she knew the answer would be the same. So she decided to use her time teaching him how to live like a muggle to her advantage.

The tiny muggle home was still cast in a cozy, orangey glow as early evening turned into night. Draco sat huffing in an arm chair he had claimed while Hermione knelt beside the coffee table, laying out muggle money.

Not that he could ever go out anywhere to use it, but if he ever ordered take out, he would need to know how to pay correctly.

"Granger this is fucking pointless. I'm stuck in this bloody house, remember?" he spat, eyeing the money warily.

She rolled her eyes. "Right so until you learn how to cook the muggle way, you'll just starve?"

That thought hadn't occurred to him and much to his dislike, he remained quiet.

"Right, so not only am I going to go over what each coin and note is worth, but I'll be teaching...trying to instill some proper manners when ordering food."

Draco sighed and leaned forward in his seat, his chin resting in his hand.

"Just get on with it."

* * *

><p>It was nearly eleven o'clock at night when Hermione had finished their lesson on muggle money. The blonde wizard was absolutely furious. Not only had she taught him the worth of each coin and note, but she had launched into a lecture about the history of muggle money and a history of the same lady that kept appearing on every piece of money. She even whipped up a notepad and pen so he could take notes, and stared at him until he angrily started scribbling on the paper.<p>

This was all followed by a long, boring explanation of muggle banks and how they worked. But Draco wouldn't admit it was a tad bit impressive that all they had to do was carry around a little plastic card that held all of their funds.

The electricity hadn't come back on yet, to which they were both annoyed by. Hermione had finished cleaning up the muggle money and explained there was always a stash of it in case he ever wanted to order take out. It was only when her unenthusiastic guest pointed out that he didn't how to work a telephone that she realized the option was at the moment, unavailable.

"Then I suppose that'll be tomorrow's lesson." she said airily, searching for more candles.

Malfoy scowled at her, though she was paying him no mind. It looked as though cereal would be his only meals tomorrow.

* * *

><p>Hermione let out a stifling yawn as she read over Peter Hopkins file one more time.<p>

After finding candles for both their rooms the night before, Hermione settled in for a restless night of sleep. There was far too much on her mind for her liking. While Draco wasn't being an awful, hateful git to her, he wasn't being polite either. He had started a row right before his lesson on muggle money, and made it a point to throw around the word mudblood as much as he possibly could. She would never tell him of course, but the word still stung. He had muttered nonstop about what a waste of time this all was, that he didn't need to learn how her kind lived.

It was only when she reminded him he had no wand and no connection with their world, that he shut up.

He never passed the opportunity to cast her dark looks and sneered at her whenever she entered a room. He was being nothing short of unbearable and it was wearing her thin.

But she couldn't think about all of this now. Work had become her solitude, the only place where she didn't have to see Draco. Plus, she had a Peter Hopkins waiting expectantly outside of her office.

He had replied to her owl agreeing to an interview at ten o'clock this morning. Much to her surprise, the young man was waiting outside her office when she arrived at nine o'clock that morning, leaving her to apologize profusely that she wouldn't be ready for him until ten.

He had replied with a small smile that he was fine with waiting.

But it was ten o'clock now and Hermione rose to let the young man enter her office.

Peter was much different looking than Layden, yet still just as charming. He had olive skin and dark hair that was barely visible due to his shaved head. His eyes, surprisingly, were a dark blue mixed with mossy green. The man's white, pearly smile shone as he entered her office.

"Thank you for coming, Peter." the witch said, once again sitting behind her desk.

"Let's get started, shall we?"

* * *

><p>Draco sat on his bed, staring at the blank wall. He hated it here. He hated his father for being such a coward, for tarnishing their reputation, and of course landing himself in Azkaban, He hated Granger for torturing him with long lectures about pathetic muggle life. He had no use for muggle money, or...what had she called it? A telephone. Muggles were beneath him, as was Hermione.<p>

It had been only three days since he arrived at Granger's home and he already felt himself going insane. He was trapped in this house. He couldn't leave. That thought swirled in his brain like a vicious hurricane. The walls were caving in, as he felt his breath become shorter. Try as he might, Draco couldn't stop the tears now slipping down his ivory skin. Heavy sobs escaped his dry throat and he willed them to stop.

He never cried. It showed weakness. He hated himself for this. Hated that he had allowed himself to be consumed by his emotions. He had always been so good at concealing them, at pushing them away.

Who was he becoming?

* * *

><p>Peter left her office with a wide smile, thanking her one last time.<p>

His interview was much shorter, and though she felt bad for Layden, it was obvious that Peter was better suited for the job. He was due to start tomorrow.

Hermione wrote out a letter to Layden, explaining that he didn't get the job but that she appreciated his interest.

The Ministry employee exited her office to head to the owlery where she would send off the letter. As she headed to the lift, she ran into a solid figure.

"Ow!" she yelped, stepping back.

The face of Blaise Zambini smile down at her.

"Granger, just the witch I was looking for." he said with a smirk.

"What do you want Zambini?" she asked with an eye roll.

"Word on the street is a certain blonde wizard is residing in your home." the dark skinned wizard winked.

Hermione's eyes widened in shock at his words. "No one is supposed to know..." she whispered.

Blaise flashed another smile. "I have a good connection with Mr. Woodward."

The witch frowned. "Still abusing powers then?"

The young man shrugged. "I'm a Slytherin at heart."

"Is that all then? Just wanted to inform me you knew of my...little secret?" she snapped.

"I want to see him." he stated flatly, taking on a serious demeanor.

"You know I can't do that." she said.

"Oh come on Granger, don't tell me you kicked your rule breaking habit. You and your little friends stirred up quite a lot of trouble at Hogwarts."

Was Blaise Zambini pleading with her?

She was not to be persuaded. "I can't. There's a lot more on the line than expulsion."

Hermione didn't give him a chance to reply. She stepped into the lift, with a slightly angry Blaise watching her.

"I'll get you to crack eventually Granger!"

* * *

><p>By the time Hermione left work, she was quite angry. What was Malfoy playing at? Trying to have visitors? She'd have to ensure his eagle was locked away while she was at work...she couldn't have him sending letters in the middle of the night. She would definitely be having a word with him about this.<p>

The sun had already started to set by the time Hermione reached her front door.

She was still angry with Draco, but not as intensely as she had been a mere fifteen minutes ago. But she needed to confront him about this. After she shrugged off her coat and set down her belongings, Hermione made her way to Draco's room. The door was shut, like usual, and just as she reached for the handle, she heard a broken sob.

Was he crying?

Guilt overcame her small frame quicker than she cared for. Slowly, she retreated from the door. Now was clearly not the time.

* * *

><p>As Hermione sat in the living room, alone, she thought long and hard about what she overheard in his room. Draco was crying. And for a reason she couldn't quite explain, it made her heart hurt. She decided to blame it on basic human compassion. Hermione wasn't one to find joy in the pain of others, so it was perfectly logical to feel bad for him.<p>

Had she been going about this all wrong? Was anger and hate and coldness going to get her anywhere?

Sighing in defeat, Hermione rose once more from the couch and made her way to his bedroom for the second time that evening. Quietly, she leaned against his door.

Silence.

Her knuckles tapped lightly on the wooden door.

"What do you want Granger?" his voice sounded hoarse.

The witch pushed open his door slowly. She stood awkwardly in the door way, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. His cool grey eyes watched her, a pained expression still etched on his face. She didn't dare look at him and he was secretly thankful for this.

"I was about to watch a movie...and I wanted to know if you'd like to join me. There's some left over dinner and I could make tea-" she began before the former Slytherin cut her off.

"I don't know why you're bothering to ask me such a thing. I don't care to see a muggle film, nor do I desire being in your presence. Just leave me alone." he growled, clutching his hands on the ends of the mattress. His knuckles were slowly turning white.

"I just thought-"

"Whatever you thought is wrong. I'd rather spend every day in this room, alone, than be around you. Don't you get it? You disgust me. You're a Mudblood. This is more of a punishment than a safe haven. Now leave. me. alone." the words hissed off his tongue like a snake.

They cut Hermione like a knife.

"So this is what I get for trying to be nice to you, isn't it? More insults! Your own father, a _pureblood," _the word tasting like poison against her tongue, "disowned you and handed you over to the Ministry! But me, a Mudblood, is willing to allow you to live in her home and keep you safe. Yet I'm the one who is less worthy." Her voice shook with rage.

"You want to spend all of your time in here? Fine!" she was shouting now. "That's exactly what you'll get."

She stormed out, and Draco looked up in confusion as he heard mumbling from the other side. A small click rang in his ears and he lunged off the bed. His lanky fingers pulled and twisted the door knob, but it wouldn't budge. That foul Mudblood had locked him in.

"Granger you get back here and you unlock this door!" he roared as he felt his throat tear in protest.

His fists pounded on the door.

No answer.

Hermione stood in the middle of the hallway and listened to his screams. She flinched each time his fists collided with the door.

"If you don't unlock this door I'll just break it down. You, like everyone else, underestimate my strength!" his voice sounded so distant.

She felt her body sink to the floor, the tip of her wind glowing in the darkness. Quickly, for good measure, she cast a silencing charm around herself and let the tears overtake her. This wasn't who she was. But his words had stung and she was tired of it. He needed to know he couldn't talk to her like that without repercussions. As much as she wanted to hex him, it was out of the question. Her job was to keep him safe and out of harms way. She told herself she had no choice but to do this.

"Granger! I swear if I hand my wand right now you'd be dead Granger! You can't fucking do this!" she heard his voice crack and another wave of guilt washed over her.

Without thinking, she cast a silencing charm on his door.

Hermione didn't move until her sobs had subdued and her body no longer shook. There was a slight throbbing in her head accompanied by a raw nose and aching lungs. Feeling slightly nervous, Hermione lifted the silencing charm from his door and was shocked to hear his yelling and stopped.

She was probably going to regret this, but she pushed open his door anyway. But something was leaning against it, preventing her from opening it all the way. With four inches of leeway, the brunette peaked in to find the sleeping form of Malfoy. Carefully and quietly, she began to close the door again. Just as the latch was about to click shut, the door was ripped from her grasp and there stood before her, seething with anger, was Draco.

Hermione was frozen, her feet inconveniently rooted to the spot. He looked menacing as he stood just a foot away, glaring at her with ferocity. She could see his nostrils flaring, his fists clenched at his sides, and a look of pure hatred on his whiter than snow face.

Malfoy barreled towards her but she was quick. He ran right into her shielding charm and let out another roar. She flinched at the sound, thankful for her quick thinking.

"How dare you lock me in there!" he spat, a vein pulsating in his forehead.

"That's what you wanted! Remember? You said you'd rather spend every day in that room _alone _than be around me." she cried, throwing his words in his face.

"Well I can't go to the fucking bathroom or eat if I'm locked in there, can I?" he yelled.

"You should have thought of that before you opened your mouth!" she retorted hotly.

He looked as if he were going to charge at her, and if there weren't a shield between the two, she didn't doubt for a second that he would.

Draco, however said nothing. He just stood there, glaring at her, his chest heaving.

"Do you really hate me that much?" her voice was soft and quiet, almost inaudible.

"Do you...hate me and my blood so much that you'd rather spend every day for the rest of the time you're here, alone? Because that could be an awfully long time...but if that's what you want...fine. Just say the word and I'll leave you be until it's time for you to leave." she tried to speak as firmly as she could, but the hurt building in her heart made it quite difficult.

"Y-"

"And when the time comes for you to leave, and you don't know a thing about how to live as a muggle...that'll be on you. Because you asked me to leave you alone. So if you can live with that, then say it. Say it and I won't bother you again." her arm was starting to hurt now but she wasn't letting down her guard until she was in the safety of her room.

"That is exactly what I want." his voice was low and his lips formed into a smirk that Hermione swore cut so deep her heart now physically ached.

"Fine." she said a clipped tone.

Draco retreated to his room and Hermione watched him until she saw the lights flick off and heard his body sink onto his bed.

It wasn't until Hermione was in her bedroom, with the door locked and silencing charm cast that she buried her head into her pillow and cried the hardest she ever had in her life.

Why did he hate her so much?

And why did it hurt this bad?

* * *

><p>Two weeks went by and Hermione saw Draco a total of three times. It seemed he had taken to avoiding her, which she turned out to be just fine with.<p>

The first time she saw him, she was about to leave for work and he was slinking into the bathroom. He cast a scowl her way before slamming the door behind him.

The second time, she was sitting in the living room, reading a book with a cup of tea. The fireplace was losing life, and so settled a dull orange glow over the room. Draco stopped in his tracks when he saw her, and just as she turned to face him, he sauntered back into his room.

The third time, was much more awkward and just the thought of it made a blush creep up her neck. She had woken up just a few minutes late and was rushing out of the bathroom after her shower. With just a towel around her, she made to exit the bathroom quickly but ran right into Malfoy's chest. He glared at her as she maneuvered around him before slamming her door and locking it.

But so far, neither one of them had caved. She didn't bother him, and he stowed away in his room when she was home. Of course the kindness in her had convinced her to at least leave meals out for him; she couldn't let another living creature starve, even if said creature hated her guts.

For the first week that she did this, the food was always untouched. But it early in the second week that she noticed the empty containers and dirty dishes. A small smile would appear on her lips as she washed up the mess. This felt like progress. Just two weeks ago he had made it clear he would never eat anything she made, but the empty food containers said otherwise.

* * *

><p>AN: Ah so I finished this chapter much quicker than I anticipated! Two days after my previous upload! Do I get a round of applause? No? Ah well! This chapter is much longer than the first two. I hope you enjoy and have fun reading and reviewing!


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